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If customer demand for EVs doesn’t accelerate, what is our plan B? Globally, governments have set aggressive policy goals for electrification of transportation. In some markets, these policies have been successful, but in others, the rate of BEV sales growth appears to be slowing down. OEMs and suppliers have committed to large capital investments to bring BEV products to market, but what happens if consumers aren’t ready to adopt BEVs as quickly as the policy requires? This fast-paced and informative panel will explore the market realities of BEV adoption that are mostly outside the control of OEMs and suppliers. We will explore consumer attitudes around BEV adoption including pain points around BEV ownership, the influence of media, and how other technologies like PHEV might help to bridge the gap to widespread BEV adoption.

The Kickoff Panel is intended to start up the NAIPC conference by looking back to the prior year and contrasting what has changed since then to set up the key issues to discuss and resolve this year. The panel will be moderated by the prior year chairperson and will consist of four contributors from the current year program. The prior chairperson will set up the discussion by summarizing the prior year conference outcomes and have a discussion with the panelists about the key topics that have changed, or we got wrong, related to the prior year. These differences will be evolved by the planning committees in the course of the preparation for the current year conference as a primer for the session. The general areas to cover in this discussion will include regulations, consumer, technology, economics, and global trends. The panel is intended to tune the participants into the key issues to be addressed in the conference but not to answer those questions.

The automotive industry transformation from traditional powertrains to modern electrified propulsion systems affects the entire supply chain. Speed to market, cost competitiveness, economies of scale, optimal levels of vertical integration, and productive supplier/ customer partnerships, while stepping towards a carbon neutral future are many of the key goals. Complicating the situation are rapidly evolving and uneven markets, customer needs, employee expectations and an overall uncertainty that exceeds the limits of operational approaches that evolved for an incremental world. Successful companies must innovate everywhere and collaborate in new ways and address industry challenges together, involving partners up and down the supply chain. This panel will delve into a thought-provoking dialogue from the perspective of multiple C-level supplier leaders. Learn more about the Panel

New for 2024, the Board Panel brings current propulsion-related mobility industry board members to speak about their views from their unique vantage points as seasoned mobility board members of public, private, and government policy boards. How do they guide, arbitrate, and decide the right path for the companies they serve? Learn more about the Panel

Capital allocation is an increasingly critical decision variable that governs the automotive industry’s propulsion technology transition. Many OEMs and suppliers are operating businesses with established positions in both the incumbent (ICE-based) and disruptive (electrified) technologies. The duration of this transition period has become increasingly less certain, which further challenges leaders to adopt robust capital allocation strategies. For some, this means doubling down on their prior decisions, while others may adopt bridging strategies or change direction entirely. Furthermore, there are those pursuing both system integration (i.e., 9-in-1 drive systems) and supply chain integration with complete vertical integration. Unfortunately, some companies that make poor decisions may fail to survive the transition. Foreign competition, especially from China, introduces an added threat to these already challenging capital allocation decisions.

If EVs and H2 vehicles will be adopted in large numbers, customers will need to have a refueling experience that is competitive with today’s liquid fuels. This includes refueling time, availability, reliability, and affordability. Consumer demand will need to be synchronized with the supply of new energy infrastructure from generation through distribution. The panel aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current and future infrastructure landscape for electric and hydrogen vehicles. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the practicalities of executing large-scale infrastructure projects, the alignment of these efforts with governmental policies, and the tailored approaches required to address regional disparities. This discussion will not only highlight the immediate challenges but also present a long-term vision for a sustainable and reliable EV infrastructure ecosystem.

As consumer adoption of all-electric vehicles (BEVs) is showing signs of softening, automotive OEM’s are adjusting their cycle plans to introduce more hybrids (FHEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) to achieve greater fleet fuel economy and meet consumer demand without heavy reliance on public charging infrastructure. This rapid change in consumer demand for BEV’s, as OEMs are trying to move beyond early adopters was also accommodated by the update to the final rule for Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation which relaxed the prior framework by adding three years to phase-in. This will prolong the demand for internal combustion engines vs. what was assumed by the industry less than a year ago. This panel will examine the various scenarios for the transition trajectory and how this will impact OEM and supply Chain strategies and the investment implications. Learn more about the Panel